Improved low-water detector for steam-boilers



which and its arm D are hollow.

* UNITED i STATES PATENT Fries.

LEVIS YOUMANS, OF FULTON, NEW YORK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,224, dated September 3, 1861. i

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS YOUMANs, of Fulton, in the county of Oswego and State of New York, have invented a new and lm proved Low-Vater Detector for Boilers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being` had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which` Figures l and 2 are elevations of the detector at right angles to each other, and both partly in section.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

My improved low-water detector consists of a pipe entering the boiler at or near the topI and opening thereinto at the lowest level to which it is intended for the water to sink, and furnished outside of the boiler with a cock, to whose plug is attached two opposite arms carrying balls or their equivalents, one of which is hollow and always in communication with the boiler through the cock. XVhen the water-level is above the lower end of the pipe, the latter and the hollow arm and ball are kept filled with water `by the pressure of steam, and are made to more than balance the other arm and ball and to keep the cock closed against the escape of water; but when the waterdevel descends` below the pipe the water runs from the hollow arln and ball, and the other arm and ball having the preponderance open the cock to the atmosphere or to awhistle and permit the escapeof steam to give an alarm.

To enable others to makeand use my invention, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the drawings.

Ais the pipe entering at the top of and descending into the boiler B.

C is the cock attached to the upper end of the pipe A, and D D are the two arms attached to the plug E of the said cock and carrying the two balls F F', the latter of The plug E is so constructed hollow and with a hole a and groove b opposite to the passages c d of the cock that in any position the cock is required to assumethe hollow arm D and ball F will be in communication with the pipe A, and that when the two arms and balls occupy corresponding positions the passage dof the cock leading to the atmosphere or to the whistle Gr will be closed. The plug is furnished with a stop-pin e, which prevents it from being turned beyond the position to close the passage d by the greater weight of the hollow arm and ball, when the latter are filled with water, as represented in Fig. l, by the pressure of steam. The portion f of the plug (see l) between the ends of the groove b is only wide enough to close the passage d, so that the latter will be opened quickly to permit the escape of steam. as soon as the arm D and ball F fall by reason ot' their greater weight, when the water has been caused to run out of the hollow arm D and ball F by the level in the boiler descending below the pipe A.

To facilitate the filling of the arm D and ball F with water on tirst setting the apparatus in an operative conditionLthe said ball should be furnished with a vent-plug g in the form of a screw or otherwise. By the removal of this plug the air is allowed to be expelled from the arm and ball.

This invention is perfectly effectual in its operation, and combines the advantages of eX- treme simplicity and compactness, and consequent cheapness, convenience, and comparative freedom from disarrangement. These results are principally accomplished by causing some of the parts to fulfill two or more functions at once. Thus the pipe A serves as a standard to support all the other parts and to transmit steam to the whistle G or its substitute, and both water and steam, as required, to the hollow ball F. The cock E serves its legitimate purpose of opening and cutting' off the steam to the whistle G; serves also as the axis with which the balance-balls F F turn and by which they are supported, and likewise to transmit water and steam to the hollow ball F', and one arm D not only serves as an arm to bear the hollow ball F', but as a tube to conduct the water and steam to and from the said ball.

I do not claim the different parts composand operating in relation to each other subing the invention used separately or in other stantially as and for the purpose herein speciconneetions; but iied.

What I claim as my invention, and desire l T to secure by Letters Patent, is- LE WIS YGUMAB s' The combination of the tube A, whistle G, Vitnesses: (or its equivalent) cook E, hollow arm D', W. S. NELSON, hollow ball F', and balance-ball F, arranged A. Gr. OSBORN. 

